If the Snow Doesn't Fall
by Pricat
Summary: Snowgre's son Arctus is missing his parents and it's nearly Christmas but the others are hiding his parents and their rock star life from him on Snowg's request. Will they ever be together or will his Christmas wish not come true?
1. Prologue

If the Snow Doesn't Fall

A/N I know Christmas isn't for a couple of months yet but I came up with this after imagining if Snowgre had a kid but Snowg's in a rock band and wouldn't have time for family. That's why Arctus is with Shrek and his family. Enjoy

Prologue.

Snowgre sighed as he, Mikaz, Artie and his wife Snowflake put the last suit case into the tour carriage.

After he'd formed the band Artic Fury with Mikaz, Artie and Snowflake, they'd been spotted by a record label.

Now the band was huge but Snowgre was worried.

His and Snowflake's son Arctus was five but the life of a famous rock band wasn't the right place to bring up a child.

He and Shrek watched as Arctus played in the snow with the triplets who were four and a half.

"It's Arctus that has you worried, isn't it?" Shrek asked.

He nodded.

"Yeah I love him along with Snowflake but… he can't go with us.." Snowgre told him.

"Why not Snowg?

He's your son!" Shrek told him.

"Yes I know but the life of a rock band isn't great where family and raising children are concerned.

If Arctus came with us, he'd have no time with me or Snowflake because at night we'd be doing concerts and recording by day.

As weird as this is going to sound, I don't want that life for him." Snowgre explained.

Shrek understood but was shocked.

"_He does care about those precious to him._

_I thought being a rock star would give him a massive ego." _He thought.

"I want you to look after Arctus and for you and the others to be his family.

Here." Snowgre told him handing him a small box.

Shrek opened it.

Inside was a guitar shaped locket with a long chain so it would slip on and off easily.

Inside was a picture of Snowgre, Snowflake and Arctus from last Christmas.

"Please make sure he gets it." He told him walking away with tears in his eyes.

He hated this but it was the only way for Arctus to feel like he had a family.

"Don't worry honey. You made the right decision for him as a father." Snowflake told him as the carriage set off and she was nuzzling him.

Snowgre looked back out at the swamp.

"_Don't worry. I won't let ya down Snowg." _Shrek thought as he went back inside the swamp house…


	2. An Old Foe Returns

If the Snow Doesn't Fall

Ch 1

Arctus sighed as he walked home from Duloc High.

It had been thirteen years since his parents had left him with his uncle and aunt and their triplets.

He had green eyes, snow white fur like Snowgre's with light blue skin.

He was slender and thirteen years old.

He had a passion for music but hid it because Shrek wanted him to focus on a career unlike Snowgre's.

It was December and close to Christmas.

Arctus sighed as he opened the guitar shaped locket and looked at the photo.

Snowgre had an electric guitar in his arms while Arctus was on his shoulders.

"_My Dad wouldn't let anybody from stopping him from following his dreams so why does Uncle Shrek not want me to follow mine?_

_We all know being a musician, especially a rock one is my destiny._

_Why is this such a problem?" _he thought as he walked in through the front door and heard laughter.

"What's going on?" he asked himself walking into the living room.

There was a Christmas tree there and Shrek along with Fiona and the triplets were decorating it.

"Hey Arctus you want to help decorate the tree?" Meatballs asked him.

"No.

Did any mail come?" he replied.

Shrek looked nervous at that.

Arctus had been sending letters to his parents but anxiously waiting for mail from them.

"No I'm afraid.

Just this month's edition of Better Gnomes and Gardens.

Sorry." Shrek replied.

"I-I'm just going to go to my room, okay?" Arctus told him leaving the room.

The elder ogre looked worried at the way Arctus had looked after he said that.

It looked like he was about to cry.

He hated having to keep Snowgre's promise and not tell Arctus where his parents were.

Everytime Snowgre sent cards, Arctus was happy the first year after he'd left him at the swamp but as time went on, nothing ever came for him from his parents.

Christmas Eve was also his birthday.

Seeing then decorate the tree made him sad because it reminded him of when he and his parents were together at Christmas.

Fiona saw sadness in her husband's eyes as she saw him put an ear to Arctus's door which had a poster of Elliot Minor on it.

He heard him crying into the pillow he and Fiona had made for him.

That sound cut into him like a knife.

"I wish we could tell him but I promised Snowg I wouldn't.

Hearing him sad like that…. Hurts." Shrek told her.

The triplets were outside playing in the snow, having a snow ball fight.

They were now eight years old.

"Arctus hasn't been the same." Spam said catching his breath.

"What do you mean?" Meatballs asked.

"Yeah Spam what do you mean?" Felicia asked.

"He never laughs or smiles anymore, he never plays in the snow, he's always quiet at dinner and most of the time and he's always got music on.

I liked him better when we were little kids." Spam explained to them.

"Yeah he's always sad.

He never wanted to do anything Christmasy anymore like he used to.

What's up with that?" Meatballs replied.

Fiona heard them and sighed.

But she heard Shrek talking on his Swampberry phone.

He was talking to Snowgre.

"He really misses you and Snowflake.

Since you guys left…. Arctus hasn't been the same, he hasn't laughed or smiled or even decorated the tree.

He feels alone and unwanted.

He needs love." Shrek told his cousin.

Snowgre was stunned at that on the other end of the line.

"_I-I never knew he'd changed or been upset because of this._

_Believe me, I never meant for this to happen._

_Music is my destiny as is his._

_I have to go but tell him Merry Christmas from me and Snowflake, okay?" _he told Shrek.

Fiona saw he was angry as he hung up by closing the flip top of the phone down, cursing under his breath.

"The nerve of Snowgre!

Doesn't he see that Arctus wants to be with his parents?

Sometimes I can't believe we're related." He told her as she rubbed his back, calming him down.

She then carried a tray of cookies and hot cocoa into Arctus's room and put them on his bedside table.

Arctus had fallen asleep but had red rims around his eyes from crying out a lot.

She then left quietly.

Shrek saw her come back into the living room.

"How is he?" he asked.

"Very bad." She answered.

Shrek sighed at that.

Snowgre felt bad inside as he joined the rest of the band.

They'd stopped at a diner in Toronto to get something to eat but the snow combined with the Christmas music, decorationa and happiness made him worse.

"It makes you think of Arctus, doesn't it?" Mikaz said.

Snowgre nodded drinking egg nog.

Snowflake saw tears in his eyes as he left to take a walk and followed him.

"I know what's bugging you.

Arctus being in Duloc while we're rocking the world, isn't it?

You're not a terrible father.

He'll understand." She reassured him but then somebody appeared.

He knocked them out using magic.

"Who is that?" Artie asked Mikaz

A twenty one year man who looked like Charming but was younger with soft and bouncy hair and brown eyes.

"His name is Aduro. He went to Duloc High along with me, Snowgre and Snowflake.

He's Charming's son.

He's always tried to get even on Snowg just because Shrek is his cousin." he explained as Artie got out his I Touch cell phone.

"What're you doing?" Mikaz asked.

"Warning Shrek." Artie answered.

"Let's just go there to the swamp." Mikaz told him.

"But Snowg said we shouldn't go there because he didn't want Arctus to be like him.

Let me just phone." Artie reminded him.

"Fine." Mikaz told him as Artie phoned.

Fiona answered it as she and Arctus were in the kitchen baking.

He liked Fiona.

She reminded him of his Mom.

"Hello who is that?" she asked him.

"It's me Artie.

Snowgre and Snowflake got captured by Charming's son but Arctus can't know.

Tell Shrek we need his help." he told her.

She nodded as she hung up.

Arctus was bringing cookies out of the oven as she rejoined him.

"Who was that?

He sounded familiar." Arctus said.

"It... was nobody." she replied.

He then went and poured himself eggnog.

He was depressed.

Shrek was playing base ball with the triplets using snow balls as base balls.

He saw Fiona come out.

"Time out!" he told them as he went with Fiona.

"What's going on?" he asked her.

"Artie called.

He said Charming's son took Snowgre and Snowflake.

He's doing it to get revenge on you.

We have to help them." she answered him.

He was worried as they went inside.

They had to help Arctus's parents.

"I have to help but we have to make sure Arctus doesn't come." Fiona told him.

He nodded.

"Arctus we have to go somewhere.

Would you mind looking after the triplets?" Shrek said to the teen.

"Fine!" he replied upset.

Meatballs wondered what was wrong with him as his door slammed...


	3. Part of Him Taken Away

If the Snow Doesn't Fall

Ch 2

Snowgre's eyes opened as he found him and Snowflake in a cage.

Arduro cackled as he approached them with somebody.

The other person was Charming, his father.

"Why're you doing this?" Snowgre asked him angrily.

"Let's just say it's revenge for all the times you beat me in high school.

Plus my father has a score to settle with your cousin." Arduro answered.

He then snapped his fingers as guards dragged Snowflake out of the cage.

"What're you going to do to her?" he asked scared.

"You'll see.

You think you're so strong, well I know your weakness." Arduro told him as the guards beat up Snowflake.

Snowgre felt tears fill his eyes at this.

"N-No!

Stop!" Snowgre told him.

Arduro then threw her back into the cage.

Snowgre was angry as he hugged her,

She was crying as he stroked her fur softly.

"_I can't believe he'd do that because of what happened in high school._

_I hope Shrek comes to help along with the others." _He thought as he saw Charming watch them from where he and Aduro left.

He had became immortal through magic.

"There's no use freaks, this place has been made unseen by magic." Aduro said to Snowgre.

"I won't let you hurt those I care about!" the older ogre told him.

Shrek then was nervous as he still searched with Artie and the others.

He felt bad about lying to Arctus.

Arduro then got an idea.

"Hey Dad you know the way you want to be on Broadway but need lessons?

I can give you an awesome voice through magic." He told Charming as he hit Snowgre with magic.

Snowflake saw a spark fly out of her husband's body.

"What did you do to him?" Snowflake asked him angrily.

"He took away my musical talent…. But not all of it." Snowgre replied weakly.

He was feeling weak.

She was angry at that.

Artie watched as Merlin used his magic to reveal Charming and Aduro's hideout.

Artie, Mikaz and Shrek ran in there.

Charming and Aduro were nowhere to be seem but Snowgre and Snowflake were in the cage.

"Are you okay?" Mikaz asked them.

"I'm fine but Snowg's not.

Aduro did something to him." Snowflake answered him.

Merlin checked him out.

"What's wrong?

Will he be okay?" Artie asked him.

"Maybe. Aduro took part of his soul but the rest of it is still there." He answered him.

"I have an idea on how to help him but we've got to keep him awake." Shrek told Snowflake.

She nodded as she sang the Star Spangled Banner which kept him awake.

It reminded him of his and Shrek's human friends.

Suddenly a portal opened and Shrek went through it with Snowgre…

In Earth, they appeared in a house.

It was in Calvert County.

It belonged to Leah's family.

They appeared in Leah's bedroom but heard singing.

Shrek smiled.

He knew who it was.

"Carley you here?" he asked gently as she came into the room with her head phones over her ears but took rgwn idd seeing them.

"I'm glad you're back!" she said hugging him.

Leah smiled watching that as she walked in.

"Hey you guys it's been a long time.

What's going on?" lEAH TOLD HIM.

cARLEY HEARD sNOWGRE MOAN A LITTLE.

"What's wrong with Snowgre?

He doesn't look too good." Carley asked.

"That's why we're here.

Charming's son Arduro did something to him and I... want ya to look after him until we stop Aduro, okay?" Shrek explained to her softly.

"OOkay." she replied to him sadly.

Leah then saw her brother David stare at them coming in.

"Leah... what's going on?" he asked worried.

"Don't worry David.

We'll explain everything later." Carley told him as he fainted.

Shrek saw sadness in Carley's eyes as the portal appeared.

"Do you have to go?

Every time you go... I feel alone." she said.

"Don't worry I'll be back, I promise.

Right now Snowgre needs your help." he replied disappearing.

Leah watched as she helped Snowgre onto the bed.

"Thanks. You... don't have to go to this much trouble for me." he said softly.

"It's no big Snowg.

It's what friends do." Carley told him.

He smiled at that.

Leah was tending to her brother.

She watched as he came around.

"Leah I had the most weirdest dream that Shrek and some strange ogre were in your room." he told her.

He was shocked to walk into her room and see Snowgre lying on the bed.

"It wasn't a dream, was it?" he told her.

He watched as Carley walked in with pizza.

Snowgre smiled as he woke up.

He seemed a little happy as he ate.

David was staring at him.

"What's going on Leah?" he asked her.

Arduro smiled as he appeared in the human world along with Charming.

"I sense Snowgre is in this world.

We just need to find him." he told his father...


	4. Bittersweet Reunion

If the Snow Doesn't Fall

Ch 3

Arctus was worried because it had been a few days and Shrek and the others hadn't came back yet/

"Something must be wrong. He told himself as he snuck out of the swamp.

He then opened a portal using his Ogreix.

"_Don't worry guys I'm coming." _He thought leaving.

Charming smiled as he felt Snowgre's energy from the Robert's house.

"What is it Dad?" Arduro asked him.

"I found that loser of an ogre in Leah's house.

I should've known he'd be there with her freaky friend." He told him as he tried entering the house but couldn't get through.

"There's a protection spell on it.

We're going to have to wait for a while." Arduro told his father.

But then he saw an image of Arctus entering Earth in Calvert County and smiled.

"What did you see?" Arduro asked him.

"We can hurt Snowgre worse… by attacking his son Arctus." Charming replied.

Arduro nodded confused.

He followed him.

David and Leah watched as Snowgre came into the kitchen the next morning.

He was wearing an old black T-shirt Leah had borrowed from her Mom.

"Hey you feel better after sleeping?" Leah asked him.

"Yeah.

I hope Charming hasn't hurt them along with Arduro." he mumbled softly as he lay his head on pancakes.

David was freaked out by that.

"Is he okay?" he asked her.

"I'm not sure. Maybe he's sick or something." Leah told him as Carley went in.

"Snowg you're asleep in pancakes." she told him.

He opened his eyes and pulled his head out of them beginning to eat.

She noticed he looked peaky and not like himself.

"Are you okay?

You haven't been yourself since you got here." she said to him.

"N-No I'm fine." he told her weakly.

She wasn't convinced as he clutched his head in agony.

"I'm fine trust me." he reassured them smiling.

"Let's go!" Leah said excited.

"Go?

Go where?" Snowgre asked them confused.

"We're going Christmas shopping.

It's gonna be great!" Carley told him.

"That sounds... cool." he answered.

"Yeah. Maybe it would cheer you up." she replied as they got dressed.

David was a little worried about this.

"Umm... Leah isn't it weird to be bringing a big furry ogre to the mall?

People will freak!" he told her.

"David it'll be okay. Besides we can pretend he has a rare condition that makes him really furry and comes from Europe.

Besides he has BBS and uses a symbol cane like Carley.

Besides Shrek told Carley and me to look after him.

Maybe it'll make him feel better." Leah replied stubbornly as she grabbed her bag and car keys.

Carley grabbed her back pack and symbol cane along with Snowgre.

He was burning up.

David was in the front seat but kept looking into the rear staring at Snowgre and Carley.

They seemed like best friends.

"This is... just too weird.

I hope Mom and Dad don't come back yet." he thought as they pulled into the mall parking lot.

Leah watched as she and David went togther while Carley and Snowgre went off together as well.

But Charming cackled.

He was in the mall too along with Arduro.

"Are you sure they're here?" he asked him.

"Yes I'm sure.

Just keep a look out, okay?" Charming told him as he drank a Frappucino.

Snowgre felt a bit better as the mall was filled with Christmas stuff.

They were in a jewellery store because she was getting Leah's present.

She had gotten her a locket.

"That's a really nice gift.

I know she'll love it.

Christmas is my fave time of year but I miss somebody close to me." Snowgre told her as she put the gift in her back pack.

"Thanks Snowg but who do you miss?

Is that why're you feeling sad?" she replied.

He nodded.

"I miss my son Arctus.

Snowflake and I had to leave him with Shrek because of our band Artic Fury.

I wish we were a family again." he told her.

He then saw kids throw paper cups at her.

It made her sad because they made fun of her because she had a cane.

Snowgre was about to kick their butts but stopped him.

"It's okay Snowg.

I'm used to being treated like a loser because that's all I am and always will be." she replied sadly as they went to meet up with Leah and David.

She was wearing her blck Shrek the Musical t- shirt with her Pilgrim charm braclet on her left wrist and her Sand Village gloves and head band.

She'd gotten Leah' s parents presents along with David.

But then she saw somebody.

It was an ogre kid about the age of thirteen.

He looked like Snowgre.

"Are you okay?

You look miserable." she told him.

He looked up in fear at her but calmed down.

He could tell she wouldn't hurt him like the others.

"You remind me of my father." he said.

"Your name is Arctus, right?" she asked.

He nodded.

"You look just like Snowg. That's cool." she said.

"You know my father?

Is he with you?" Arctus asked her.

She noded as Leah and David came over.

"Aah! More humans!

Don't let them hurt me!" he said hiding behind her back.

Carley giggled at that.

"Arctus it's okay.

They won't hurt you.

They're my friends.

Leah's also a friend of your father along with me." she told him.

He then came out of hiding.

"Oh great! Another one." David remarked but Leah elbowed him.

Snowgre smiled seeing Arctus.

But before they could talk, they were ambushed.

"I knew it was only a matter of time until you showed up." Charming cackled as Arctus backed away nervous.

"Why're you here?" Leah asked angrily.

She watched as he sent a shuriken at her but Carley knocked her out of the way.

It went into her arm.

David was shocked along with Leah as their friend got to her feet slowly.

"I see you're still a freak who can't do anything but be a blind loser and a scared one as well." he sneered as he disappeared.

Snowgre growled as he came to their side.

"Are you okay?

That looks nasty." he told her.

Arctus was afraid along with Leah and David.

"Let's just get out of here." David told Leah.

Arctus agreed as he and Snowgre got in the car with them.

Arctus was feeling afraid.

He wondered why those guys would attack like that without mercy.

In the house Leah saw Snowgre fall to the floor.

Arctus was nervous.

"Why does that ogre kid care so much about Snowgre?

He barely knows him." dAVID SAID TO lEAH.

"Y-You're wrong David.

Arctus is Snowgre's son.

You're freaking out, aren't you?" Carley told him as she went to her and Leah's room to lie down.

She had taken a shower and was in pyjamas.

There was a cast on her right arm.

Leah sighed as she helped Snowgre into David's room and the bottom bunk bed.

She noticed his head had a fever.

Arctus was in the living room watching MTV...

dAVID WAS CONFUSED.

things were getting stranger by the minute and he wasn't liking it one bit...


	5. The Heart's Power

If the Snow Doesn't Fall

Ch 4

Arctus was shivering in the middle of the night as he woke up.

He'd had a vision of Charming hurting his mother so she would help him.

He then went to get something to drink.

Things right now were confusing and not what they used to be.

In the morning Leah found him asleep with his head on the kitchen table.

"You okay?

You look terrible, like you didn't get much sleep." She said softly as he drank juice.

"No I didn't. Yesterday at… that mall freaked me out.

I want things to be normal, to have a family again.

But it'll never happen." He answered her.

"Don't talk like that, saying bad stuff about yourself.

You're like Carley but worse.

It can happen if you believe." She told him.

He watched as she went to the oven and made pan cakes.

She then saw David run in freaked.

"What's wrong David?" Leah asked him.

"More of your friends came here in the middle of the night.

What're we going to do Leah?

Mom and Dad will freak." He told her.

Leah wondered what he meant and went upstairs while he kept an eye on the oven.

She heard gentle moaning in her and Carley's room as she walked in.

A smile crossed her face seeing Shrek asleep in the top bunk where she slept while Carley was still asleep in the bottom one.

Fiona was outside in the back yard doing karate stuff.

Leah couldn't help but smile.

She went into the back yard.

Fiona was surprised to see her.

"Hey Fi-Fi. What's up?" Leah teased playfully.

Fiona blushed at that worriedly.

"Leah you can't call me that!" she said, her face going red.

"Why not? Snow calls you it along with Shrek." Leah asked her.

"It's a pet name, okay?

I get annoyed when other people call me that except for Shrek and Snow..

Besides you have a few pet names you get annoyed at, don't you?" she replied.

"Yeah you're right. Sorry.

Why're you and Shrek here?" Leah asked.

"Shrek had a vision of the attack in the mall last night so…. We knew the Mama's Boy and the Papa's Boy were here in Earth.

Only he's been freaked out for Snowgre.

He knows he's not himself and ill with Soul Sickness.

He hadn't been sleeping after that.." she explained.

She understood as Fiona went inside with her.

"What did Arduro do to Snowg?" Leah asked as she kept cooking breakfast.

"He used magic to steal part of Snowgre's soul which has his music in it.

That's why Snowg's sick and he'll get worse unless we get it back from Charming." Fiona told her as she helped with the eggs.

She felt better when Carley walked into the room.

"Hey Star Spangle.

How did you sleep?" Leah said kissing her.

Carley giggled as they broke it.

"Great Cuddly Oreo.

When did Shrek and Fiona get here?" she replied smiling.

Fiona was surprised.

A lot of times when she was around them or in Duloc, she barely smiled but laughed a little.

It made her think of Snow.

She knew the teen had been upset because she'd heard her cry a little last night.

She had a feeling Leah was helping her.

Shrek sighed waking up and stretching.

He then wanted to check up on Snowgre but it could wait.

He was hungry after the trip they took to get here.

He was dressed in a dressing gown and tartan boxers.

He sighed walking into David's room and saw Snowgre in the bottom bunk.

He was asleep but his fur had gone grey and his skin had turned pale.

"_He's getting worse._

_The soul sickness is draining his energy._

_Damn Charming and his blasted loser of a son." _He thought walking out of there.

David had heard him muttering.

Fiona saw him enter the room and sit at the table but was quiet.

It scared her.

He was normally quiet but eased out of it.

She had a feeling that it had to do with Snowgre.

"Yes it is. I checked up on him and he looks... worse.

He's asleep and his fur is grey and his skin in pale." he replied scared.

She was worried about him as he yawned.

Arduro wondered why his father was going to try to get inside the Robert's house.

"You'll see." he told him smiling.

Leah saw Shrek outside in the back yard meditating.

She wondered if it was to calm down or try to relax to sleep.

She joined him.

"Hey you okay?

You've been sad since this morning.

You care about Snowgre even though he sometimes messes up, don't you?" she asked him.

"Yes I've been freaked out since Arduro took part of Snowg's soul.

I feel like I let him down.

He may have become a jerk but he's family.

I wish I could've stopped him." he told her, his voice cracking nearly about to cry.

It shocked her.

"IIt's not your fault it happened.

Arduro is a creep like his father Charming and we'll stop them and get his soul back." Leah reassured.

Shrek smiled shakily at that.

"T-Thanks." he replied softly.

He then saw Charming appear.

"What're you doing here?" he yelled angrily.

"Getting revenge.

I'm here to hurt those humans you care so much about starting with your friend there." he replied but was sent flying by a blast of magic.

It was Carley.

"Get your hands off them!

All you cause is misery Charming like your mother!" she roared as she was surrounded by chakra.

"Why do you care so much for Shrek and the others?

Why're you not afraid now in battle?" Charming asked angrily.

"Because they're my family and they're precious to me and I must protect them with both arms.

Besides losing them would scare me than anything you can pull." she replied as she became her dragon form but he took off.

Leah watched as she transformed into normal.

Leah hugged her along with Shrek.

"Oh ueah that reminds me, I have something in this vial that belongs to Snowgre." she replied to them.

"Yes.

You rock!" Shrek told her.

They went into David's room.

He was on his computer.

"What's going on?" he asked as Shrek approached where Snowgre was in bed.

"Please let this work!" he thought unscrewing the vial lid.

Snowgre's soul flew out of it and back into Snowgre's body.

He watched as his cousin's eyes opened.

"Thanks... guys.

I knew I could count on you to help." he replied.

"Will he be okay?" Leah asked him.

"Yes but it'll take a few days." Shrek replied to her.

He felt better at dinner.

Carley was making soup for Snowgre.

Fiona noticed she was very quiet.

Leah knew why.

Later she saw her lying in bed not asleep yet.

"Hey you can't sleep?" she said.

She nodded.

"Don't worry.

Charming may think he's strong but as long as we're together, nothing can stop us." she reassured her.

Carley smiled at that.

"Yeah you're right.

Thanks Cuddly Oreo for everything, for being my friend and true love.

Without you, I would still be alone." she said falling asleep.

But Arduro cackled as he found Snow.

He knew this was Fiona's weakness.

He then used his magic to take her with him to the human world.

The triplets then followed him and Snow there...


	6. Walk Through the Fire

If the Snow Doesn't Fall

Ch 5

Arduro cackled as Snow tried to get free.

"Such a feisty spirit for one… so pretty." He told her.

"It wasn't her, it was Fiona who gave it to her." Charming told him.

"Maybe I can change her to help us." He told him.

"Nice idea son seeing as Fiona and her are in love.

Destroy the love and make her a powerful ally." Charming told him.

Snow watched as they put her in a cage.

Snowflake smiled seeing her there.

"Charming and Aduro kidnapped me." She told her.

She gasped seeing what Aduro had done to her.

"_This is bad!_

_I hope Fi-Fi comes to help me." _Snow thought as she saw Aduro approach her.

Fiona was depressed as she woke up at early dawn.

"What's wrong honey?" Shrek asked her.

"I-It's Snow.

Something bad is happening to her." She replied beginning to cry.

Shrek wrapped his arms around her as a shield.

"It's okay.

I know how important she means to you like me.

Let it all out." He said softly.

Fiona then went to the kitchen as Leah walked in to make breakfast.

"You're thinking of Snow, aren't you?" she told Fiona.

"Yes, yes I am.

What would you do in my situation?" Fiona told her.

"I would go get her." She answered her.

"You're right!" Fiona told her as she drank a black coffee.

She then left.

"_I hope she'll be okay._

_I know how much Snow means to you, the way Carley means to me." _Leah thought.

Later Shrek and the others woke up and entered the kitchen.

"Hey Leah where's Fiona?" Snowgre asked her.

"She had to go do something." Leah answered him.

Arctus was very quiet at the table.

He was very shy and unconfident.

"_I know you're shy but need help being stronger to help us stop Charming and Aduro." _Shrek thought as he helped Leah cook the eggs.

She wondered where Aduro and Charming were hiding in the human world.

Snowgre hoped Snowflake was okay but could feel she was in danger.

"Are you okay?

It's Snowflake, isn't it?" Shrek told his cousin.

"Yes.

I can hear her thoughts and I hear she's in pain." he answered him sadly.

Arduro smiled as he began to change her image.

His magic was entering Snow's body and mind.

It was affecting her heart.

"What did you do to her or about to?" Snowflake asked him.

"I'm affecting her as we speak, ripping the love out of her/

That way Fiona won't stop me because she and Snow are in love so Snow being frozen to her will hurt her." Arduro told her.

Fiona was nervous as she came into the woods near Leah's area.

She and Snow were connected through their hearts but felt sadness come from Snow's heart.

"Please don't have hurt her or you'll pay.

Your father was a creep but you're worse than him Aduro." she thought leaping from tree to tree.

A few weeks had passed and Snow had given in to the sadness Arduro had put in her heart.

She smiled as she looked at herself in a mirror.

Her long hair was cut short but hung around her face, her skin was pale but wore a leather jacket, her ears were pierced, she wore combat boots.

She had a punk rock shirt on her with ripped jeans.

She had whiyr foundation on her face and purple lipstick.

Arduro smiled at his new servant.

"We're looking pretty in Punk this morning, aren't we?" he said flirting with her.

"Duh of course I do.

You made me look this way." she replied in a drawl.

"This is great!

She probably doesn't remember Love or Fiona." he thought.

Fiona gasped as she saw Snow.

"Surprised?

She wanted it this way!" Arduro chuckled as Snow pushed Fiona into the cage with Snowflake.

"Snow Drop it's me Fi-Fi,

Arduro did this to you.

Don't you remember the love?" she said.

"Sorry but I don't.

Why would I love you?

You must be kidding.

All I care about is helping Arduro claim this world as his own." Snow replied coldly walking away.

"Well done my pet." Aduro told her but she felt guilty saying those things to Fiona.

Snowflake watched as Fiona curled up in a ball crying...

But later Snow saw memories flood through her mind of her and Fiona and their relationship.

"I know what I must do." she told herself as she went to where the cage was and opened it quietly.

"Fi-Fi?

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say those things eariler.

It was Arduro's magic that did it.

You know I'd never hurt you intentionally.

I love you too much." she told her.

Fiona then raised her head smiling.

"Kiss me. If you still love me like I think you do, kiss me." Fiona told her.

Snow then smiled remembering the kisses they shared.

Fiona smiled as they kissed.

Snowflake saw Snow's hair grow long again and she was back in her red dress.

"Wow one kiss did that?" Fiona asked her.

"Yeah I guess our relationship is so powerful, it helped me." Snow answered as they left with Snowflake.

Arduro was confused as he didn't see them in the cage but understood what had happened.

It was late when they returned at the swamp.

Shrek and Snowgre were still awake with worry.

"I hope they'll be happy to see us." Snowflake said.

"Yeah you're right." Fiona answered as they entered Leah's house.

Shrek and Snowgre were watching extreme sports in the living room.

"Hey boys miss us?" Fiona told them as they hugged.

"Thank Duloc you're safe honey! The kids and I were worried for you." Shrek told her as they kissed.

Snowgre was helping Snowflake clean her wounds.

She seemed scared but smiled as Snowgre put a hand on her shoulder.

"It's okay honey I won't let them hurt you or Arctus.

This I promise." he reassured her as they kissed.

Leah smiled watching them together as she left the kitchen.

Carley wondered what was up with her as she climbed back into bed.

"I'm glad we found love.

There's a little true love for everybody." she said softly...


	7. Golden Hearted Hero

If the Snow Doesn't Fall

Ch 6

Arctus saw worry in Shrek's eyes.

He was sad.

Snowgre knew why.

"What's wrong with him? He's never been this depressed since Charming tried to take Fiona from him." The teen asked his father.

"It's because we were hanging out in the park playing base ball and we were in the play ground.

We were playing on the jungle gym when some human kids threw stones at us.

They wanted us to go away like the mean people back home.

Carley had heard them and came over to us.

She yelled at the kids who were picking on us but they ran off scared.

The grown up humans were like that with Daddy too.

It upset him." The triplets explained to him.

Snowgre felt sorry for his cousin.

"_How dare they be so cruel to them?_

_We're not bad or want to hurt them, we just want to live in peace and help them." _Shrek thought sadly drinking Coke.

Leah saw Carley by his side leanong her head on his shoulder as they sat on the couch watching Naruto.

"How is he?

Better?" she asked her.

"No he's still sad, very sad.

I know.

I get like that whenever people are mean to me because I'm half blind.

His eye's swollen bad though." She answered her.

Fiona sighed as she cooked dinner.

Snowflake was helping her.

She was worried for Arctus because he was learning to adjust to having parents in his life again.

Fiona then saw a golden heart seal on her husband's fore head.

"_That's weird._

_I've never seen that on him before." _She thought as she saw Carley put an ice pack on his head where there was a few scratches from bottles some drunken humans had thrown at him.

He also had a broken leg.

"T-Thanks amigo.

You still care about me.

Even with what those humans said about me in the park." He replied to her sadly.

"I know you're not bad or mean.

Maybe a little tough but that's what helps you feel a little bit brave.

You've a good heart, one of gold.

You're kind, selfless, loyal, heroic, strong and smart but also creative.

There mat be some mean humans out there but there are lots of nice ones in this world who love you just as Leah and I do.

We can see inside you." She reassured him.

"Thanks for that." He replied with tears falling from his eyes.

"Iy's just it reminds me of my father, when I was a kid and he wanted me to act mean and scary like other ogres but it didn't suit me.

He told me that day when I failed to hurt a human, that he wished I wasn't his son.

He said…. I was a mistake." He answered crying.

"It's okay. He can't hurt you anymore Shrek.

He sounds like my father, like he hates me because I'm disabled.

The only things in this world that make me feel like I belong are Leah and you.

You don't judge me or feel sorry for me because of it." She reassured him as tears fell from her eyes.

She then saw him wrap his arms around her.

"I know that you're not a mistake.

Without you... we wouldn't be a family.

Besides it's a week until Christmas.

I know how much you love it next to Halloween.

Did you make a Christmas wish yet?" HE REASSURED HER.

"Yes I did but it came true,

Ir was rgar we would still be friends and never be alone." she replied smiling.

He felt better hearing that.

But Arduro got an idea on how to break Shrek's spirit by hurting his human friend's spirit.

He then went to the Swampy North Pole where Ogre Claus lived.

He was like Santa but delivered presents to good hearted ogres and human teens.

He went out on Christmas Eve like Santa.

Arduro then smashed and destroyed the stuff for Christmas along with scaring the dragons that drove Ogre Claus's sleigh.

"What're you doing here Aduro?" Ogre Claus asked him.

"How do you know my name?" Arduro asked nervously.

"I know the names of everybody like St Nick.

You've always been on my bad list." he answered him.

"That doesn't matter because soon Christmas will be mine and a certain good hearted ogre's spirit will be broken." he cackled as he tied him up and gagged him but hid him in his sleigh.

"Yhis shall be fun." Arduro told him as Ogre Claus vanished.

He'd gone to Earth.

Later at midnight Leah found him in the kitchen.

"Hello Leah where's the others?" he said to her.

"They're asleep but I can wake them." she answered him.

"Leah is Ogre Ckaus in there?" Carley told her walking in.

He then saw Snowgre and Arctus.

He then explained what had happened.

"That's awful"

Of course we'll help you.

Christmas is the greatest tume of year and belongs to everybody, nit just one person." Carley heard Fiona say as she, Shrek and the triplets showed up.

"Yhanks everybody." Ogre Claus told them as they vanished in Christmas magic.

They arrived at the Swampy North Pole to see Arduro wrecking it along with Ogre Claus's ogre helpers hiding.

This had to stop...


	8. Down in the Dumps

If the Snow Doesn't Fall

Ch 7

Arduro cackled at the damage he'd created at the Swampy North Pole.

He saw Arctus and his friends but noticed how Carley and Shrek cared for each other along with the others.

"_I might've found another weakness._

_My father's enemy cares too much especially for that half blind human." _He thought as he saw a bat toy but made it huge and alive with magic.

"Go bring that half blind human to me.

We'll see how strong Shrek is when his little friend's in danger." He told it.

He laughed as it flew out of the work shop.

Leah watched as Ogre Claus helped the ogres that helped him make toys out of hiding.

"Arduro must've scared them bad.

He's such a jerk." Carley told her.

"Yeah he is.

He's like his father.

I hope he's on the naughty list." David told him but heard Carley yell for help.

"Get away from her!" Leah screamed as the bat grabbed her friend.

"Let her go you freak!" Shrek yelled trying to stop it but it didn't work.

"No!" he yelled sinking to his knees in agony.

"We've got to get her back!" Leah told them.

Snowgre and the others agreed.

"Yeah it wasn't your fault.

That bat was huge." Snowgre reassured Shrek but it didn't help.

"I feel like I let her down.

You know hoe we're connected through our hearts." He replied to him.

Arduro smiled as Carley was in a cage.

"_I don't understand._

_She doesn't look so evil._

_Why is my father so worked up about her?" _he thought.

She looked away from him.

"I'll get you to talk somehow." He whispered as he left the room and had put Nutcrackers on guard duty.

But that night Fiona noticed her husband was very quiet.

They had made camp in a forest.

"I know you're thinking about her.

She'll be fine.

She's probably trying to be brave and wait for us to rescue her.

I know." She said.

"She's not.

She's alone and scared and counting on me to help.

Like when I count on her to help us out along with Leah." He replied sadly.

"Why do you care about her?

You barely know her!" David said to him.

"What did you say?" Shrek replied, his voice about to crack.

"You barely know her.

All… this is too much to understand.

I can't wait to get home.

Then I can forget this all happened.

I don't see why you're friends." David replied.

The others stared at him coldly as Leah elbowed him hardly.

She and Fiona saw Shrek walk off.

"Way to go David!" Fiona said hitting him.

"Ow! What was that for?" he asked rubbing his shoulder.

"It's because you're being a jerk like Charming and Arduro." Leah told him as she went off.

She found Shrek in another part of the forest near the work shop.

He heard music box chimes from somewhere.

She saw red rims around his eyes.

He had his eyes closed, trying to block out the pain.

"_I'm sorry I let you down._

_I know you're in there, afraid, alone and hurting._

_I won't let him hurt you." _He thought.

She then hugged him.

"Don't let what my brother say get to you.

He's always been like that most of the time." she said reassuring him.

"N-No he's right.

She doesn't need me... now she has you.

I should just let Arduro win." he told her sadly as tears fell from his eyes.

"Don't ever talk like that!

Of course she needs you.

Sometimes I can't reach her or get her to come out of her shell but you do.

Without the two of you, we wouldn't be a family and she and I wouldn't be in love." she replied to him.

A sad smile crossed his face.

"I-I figure that's right.

Arduro has her in there and I feel powerless to help her." he replied as she got an idea.

"I'll be back soon, okay?" she said running to where the others were.

Arduro watched as Shrek began to walk off.

"See? Your precious hero is running away.

Some loser he is!" he cackled.

Carley got angry hearing that.

"T-That's not true!" she answered softly.

She hoped he could hear her as she closed her eyes and focused hard on Shrek.

Suddenly her heart glowed as she used her positive Ogreix to reach him.

"Don't give up!

I know you can beat Arduro.

I believe in you." she thought.

Fiona saw distress in Leah's eyes as she joined them.

She wondered what was wrong.

"You've gotta come with me.

His spirit, it's totally crushed." she told her as she followed her along with Snowgre.

David felt regretful for the things he'd said.

He along with Arctus and the others hoped it wasn't too late...


	9. Hurting Inside part 1

If the Snow Doesn't Fall

Ch 8

Fiona was worried.

She'd never seen her husband this down before.

She hoped they could help.

"_Arduro's a creep but this time he's gone too far._

_I hope we're not too late." _She thought as Snowgre picked up his cousin's scent.

"Where is he?" Leah asked him.

"In Far, Far Away." He answered her.

She then followed them there.

But Charming was already there.

He'd heard from Arduro what had happened in the Swampy North Pole.

Shrek was sitting on a hill over looking Far. Far Away.

It made him remember about Artie.

A sad smile crossed his face.

Fiona was nervous as they entered Far, Far Away.

She was trying not to imagine the worst.

"I have an idea.

Let's go ask Artie.

He'll help.

It was Shrek that gave him confidence to be King." Leah suggested.

"Good idea.

I know Artie will help." She replied as they went to the castle.

Artie was miserable.

It was nearly a week until Christmas but he was feeling down.

He missed Shrek and the others.

He hadn't been with them since his eighteen birthday.

"_I wonder what they're doing now?_

_Probably roasting something or sitting around, drinking cocoa._

_I miss them." _He thought sitting in his room, sprawled out on his bed.

His thoughts were broken by a knock on his door as a guard came in.

"Your Highness your cousin Fiona is here.

She needs to speak to you." He told the eighteen year old.

"Thank you.

I'll be there in a few minutes." He answered as he went out of his room in his dressing gown.

"_Why is she here?_

_I hope I can help." _He thought running down the steps and into the throne room at great speed.

Fiona smiled as he hugged her.

Snowgre was shocked.

"_So my cousin wasn't lying!_

_Artie is the king._

_But he's so young!" _he thought seeing Artie stare at Leah distracted.

"What brings you here guys?" Artie asked smiling.

But the smile was wiped off when Fiona explained everything to him.

"Oh man this is bad.

I'll help him any way I can.

He once helped me discover what it feels like to be confident.

Now I must do the same." He answered.

"Great! We knew you would." Leah told him.

She knew Artie had a huge crush on her but she hadn't told him or the others her secret.

"_For now, it can wait." _She thought leaving the castle.

Shrek was asleep on the grassy hill in a dreamless sleep.

Artie was relieved as he found him there.

He saw a bottle of rum beside him.

"Over here guys!" he whispered as Leah, Snowgre and Fiona joined him.

"Looks like I found a pack of losers!" a vaon sounding voice said as Charming appeared.

"I should've known!" Fiona told him.

Leah then saw tears fall from Shrek's eyes.

"N-No!

I won't let you hurt them!" he said getting to his feet as his eyes opened.

"How can you?

You're too powerless and depressed to even fight!" Charming sneered.

Leah watched as Charming sent him flying into a tree.

It made her angry but worried the others when bandages came off their ogre friend's hand's revealing scars.

"He…. Must be depressed bad.

I know what it is, it's not just because Arduro kidnapped Carley but Christmas reminds him of the time when his father abandoned him in the forest as a seven year old.

Having to grow up like that and before that, his parents telling him he'd never find happiness or friendship.

I don't blame him." Snowgre thought as he watched his cousin get to his feet.

Suddenly he saw Shrek's eyes go from brown to red.

Powerful magic then surrounded him creating a ball around him.

"I won't let you hurt them!

I won't!" he roared loudly as thunder crashed through the skies.

"W-What's going on?

How're you doing that?" Charming asked afraid.

"Yeah Snowg how is he doing that?" Leah asked Snowgre.

"He's depressed but now Charming's really done it.

He's made him so mad, that he's having a magical meltdown.

I hope he calms down.

He could really hurt somebody in this mood." He replied.

Fiona watched as powerful magic hit Charming but he fell to the ground.

"You got lucky this time but it won't work next time.

I wonder how that pathetic human of yours is doing?" Charming cackled leaving.

Snowgre watched as the ball of magic faded and he saw Shrek sink to his knees.

He saw tears fall from his eyes.

It veoke his heart to see him in this much misery.

He also saw a letter and a kunai fall out from his trouser pocket.

"What is it?" Artie asked.

"Yeah Snowg what does it say?" Leah replied.

Snowgre took a breath before answering.

"Shrek's been kicked out of the family and that he's disowned and that he's a disgrace to ogre kind.

If he ever shows his face around the ogre community where his parents live…. They'll hurt him and treat him like an outcast.

It's from his father.

I see it upset him and that's what the kunai was for if you saw the scars on his hands.

Christmas isn't very happy for him this year.

You see he was going to take you Fiona and the kids to visit them and now…. This happens." He explained.

They then saw somebody appear.

It was Carley.

"You're okay!

But how did you escape Aduro?" Leah asked hugging her.

"I had help from a certain friend in Aria." She answered fainting.

She had many wounds and cuts as well as Shrek but his clothes were ripped.

"We'e gotta get back to camp.

They need to rest and heal especially Shrek." Snowgre heard Fiona say.

Leah agreed as she watched Fiona pick Shrek up and put him over her shoulder in a fireman's lift.

Snowgre and Leah helped Carley up as well but walked with her leabing on their shoulders.

Later Arctus and the others saw them return.

"What the heck happened to them?" David asked Leah.

"We'll explain but not now, okay?" she answered him AS SHE WRAPPED BLANKETS AROUND sHREK.

He looked really depressed but hurt as he slept.

She didn't blame him.

David and the others listened as Leah and Fiona told them what happened.

Artie had joined them too.

He was worried for Shrek.

He hated that Charming had did that, by putting him in a bad mood.

Later that night Fiona saw her husband get up with the blankets around him.

She noticed he'd been having a sadness attack again.

"He sleep walks?" Artie asked her.

He was awake too because he couldn't sleep.

"Yeah he does that when he's worried or upset. I do it too sometimes.

We have to wake him up before anything happens." Snowgre told him.

They watched as Shrek walked off into the forest.

But somebody was watching him.

It was his sister Amore.

She'd been born a while after Shrek left when he turned seven.

She was now eighteen but thought of her brother secretly as a hero but in front of her family she disowned him like her father.

Her father Ambris was with her.

Charming had brought them here.

"Why does he sleep walk?" she asked her father.

" I think hr ford iy when he's freaked out." Ambris told her.

She had long blue hair, black eyes, slender but shy and unconfident.

Her Ogreix powers weren't strong because of this.

"Please be okay Shrek.

Everybody else back home where Mom and Dad live think you're not a proper ogre but they're wrong.

To me, you'll always be a hero and a great brother even though we've never met." she thought sadly but pushed these thoughts out of her head.

Snowgre found Shrek about to go into Ogre Claus's work shop when he and they stopped.

"Now!" Ambris yelled lunging at his ex son.

Fiona was scared by that.

"W-Who is he?" she asked Snowgre frightened for her husband.

"Uncle Ambris get off him!

He hasn't done anything to you!" Snowgre yelled getting Shrek away from him.

"He's the one he's supposed to call father?

The one who disowned him just because he has a heart?" she asked.

Amore saw him nod.

Tears welled in her eyes as she was surrounded in a ball of light like what Shrek had done.

"Don't ever hurt my True Love again!

He may not measure up to your standards but he's perfect to me!" she roared as magic hit Ambris.

It hit him in the chest and sent him flying.

Amore then came out from hiding.

Fiona then calmed down as the ball of magic faded.

Snowgre saw her come over to them.

"Gey Amore you've gotten bigger since we last saw you." he told her.

"T-Thanks Uncle Snowgre." she replied.

"Who is she? She looks cute for an ogre." Fiona asked.

"She's Amore, Shrek's sister.

She was born a while later after Ambris made Shrek leave.

Both him and Amore have never met in their lives." he explained to her.

"Hi Amore I'm Fiona your brother's wife." she told the girl.

"I-I know.

Will my brother be okay?" she replied.

"We don't know Amore he's been hurting a lot recently." Snowgre answered.

"Snowg is there a way ro wake up somebody who sleep walks?" Fiona asked him.

"Yes but first we've gotta get him back to the others." he replied as they helped carry Shrek back to the camp.

Leah and the others stared at Amore as she sat beside Arctus and Snowflake.

"Snowh can you tell me what to do so he doesn't sleep walk?" Fiona asked as Snowgre wrapped blankets around his cousin like a cocoon.

"You have to sing him to sleep.

When people sleep walk, they're still a little awake so doing this prevents it." he answered to her.

Fiona saw Shrekshudder in pain.

She stroked his face gently.

She then began humming a melody.

_In his mind Shrek was floating in darkness until a door appeared and opened._

_He then went through it._

_He realised where he was._

_He was in the room he used to have until he was kicked out by his father._

_There were books on shelves, toys scattered everywhere, a dream catcher humg by the small bed with an alligator skin mattress._

_Lying on it was his seven year old self._

_He heard crying._

_"W-Why do they have to hate me?_

_What did I ever do to them?_

_I... feel so alone." he told himself through tears._

_Shrek then climbed onto the bed beside his younger self and wrapped his arms around him._

_"It's you._

_But what're you doing here by coming through my, I mean our door?_

_I've been here within you since I grew up and became you." the tiybf ogre said._

_"I was fighting Charming but I got too weak and blacked out._

_I can't find my way out of here." Shrek answered._

_"I see._

_Charming's a jack ass like all the mean people that picked on us all the time." the young ogre told him._

_But then there was a blinding light._

_"It's okay bigger me._

_It's another door._

_Go through it, okay/" he told him smiling as the music got louder._

_He understood as he walked into the light and through another door._

_He found himself in a bed room in a castle._

_It was a room in the castle in Far, Far Away._

_He then heard a sweet sound._

_It was... her voice._

_"F-Fiona how did you get in here?_

_I know we dream about each other but this is a little strange." Shrek said to her._

_Fiona giggled a little at that._

_"I'll explain, okay?_

_For now just relax." she told him as a mud bath appeared in the room._

_He smiled climbing into it with her._

_He wondered how she'd gotten in there..._

_" Don't be afraid._

_Just trust in me._

_You'll see." a voice told him..._


	10. Hurting Inside part 2

If the Snow Doesn't Fall

Ch 9

Shrek smiled as he wrapped his arms around Fiona as they lay on the bed.

"_FiCna how did you get here?" he asked her softly._

"_I hot here by using Ogreix._

_My body is asleep next to yours._

_I felt sorry for being helpless to stop Charming from attacking you._

_You're always hurting inside, aren't you/" she answered him._

_He nodded._

"_I do._

_My father never…. Really loved me but my Mom did._

_She made me feel better when hunters wanted to hurt me or rescued me when our house got burnt down._

_But that… was long ago._

_She died protecting us._

_But it's my fault it happened._

_If I hadn't been scared, she'd still be here._

_Dad said that it was my fault and that he could never forgive me." He told her as the tears fell._

_She knew how he felt about losing a loved one._

"_It's not your fault it happened." She said to him kissing him._

"_Thanks._

_Y-You remind me of her." He told her…_

Leah was worried.

"Fiona's been in there a long time.

I hope she's okay." She told them.

She then saw Carley glow as she touched Shrek's head gently.

"You can't go in there!

You might get trapped in there and never come back." She said.

"I have to do this.

He's my hero and my father figure.

Besides I can help him, I know it." She told Leah as they kissed.

David and the others watched as she became a crystal like angel with purple wings.

"It's her Ogreix Spirit, the Angel of Peace and Love." Leah said to David.

She watched as she entered her ogre friend's head.

"Where are we going?" Shrek asked Fiona.

_She was leading him out of the castle and into the city streets._

"_We have to get you out of here._

_You can't stay trapped in here forever._

_There are those outside who care for you." She replied._

_He understood as they walked through another door but it looked swamp like._

_They were at the swamp but the house was gone._

"_Wait!_

_I know what's going on." He thought as he saw his teenage self with an axe and beginning to build the swamp house paradise he and his family nw lived in._

_His teen self was sixteen, wore the same clothes he did now but had facial hair issues and zits._

_He seemed sad._

_But then he saw Ambris his father appear._

"_W-What do you want Dad?" his teen self asked him._

"_You call yourself an ogre?_

_We're supposed to be fierce beasts, not losers or role playing geeks._

_Understand?" he told him as he scratched his arm._

"_Yes father." He replied sadly as Ambris vanished._

_But then he saw an angel appear._

_Fiona smiled as she saw who it was by looking into the angel's eyes._

"_Who're you?" Shrek asked her._

"_I am the Angel of Peace and Love._

_I can help you leave." She answered as two mirrors appeared._

"_I don't understand._

_What're the mirrors for? Fiona asked her._

"_They're doors._

_But Shrek you have a choice to make._

_One door leads to a world where you are not feared, where thre are no hunters or hatred towards ogres._

_But the other door keads back home to your friends." She told him._

_He looked at the door with the hate free world but then looked at the one that led back home._

"_It would be nice to live in a world where nobody hates me or is mean but it would be boring without my friends." He thought._

"_I'm going back home, to where my friends are, the people that lobve me." He answered as he walked through the door that led to the outside world._

_Fiona and the Angel of Peace and Love went with him… _


	11. On Angel's Wings

If the Snow Doesn't Fall

Ch 10

Leah was relieved to see Fiona open her eyes along with Carley.

"Is he okay now?

Did he find his way home?" she asked curious.

"Yes he did." Fiona answered.

Snowgre watched as Shrek's eyes opened slowly.

There were tears in them.

"_I wondered what happened in there." _He thought as two ogres like him showed up.

They wore Land of Snow head bands and gloves.

"Oh great!

What're you two doing here?" Snowgre asked them.

"Is that any way to treat your brothers?" the younger one said.

"Who're they? Leah and Fiona asked Snowgre.

"They're my brothers Azia and Amin.

We were born at the same time like Fiona's kids.

Only they were in line to be ninja warriors for our home while I… wasn't.

You can understand why I left and moved in with Shrek.

I didn't want to live in the shadow of my brothers." He explained.

Carley smiled at that.

"We have to stop Aduro now before he wrecks Christmas!

We only have a few days left until Christmas Eve!" Ogre Claus said.

Leah and the others agreed.

"You're right!

We strike tonight." She told them as they prepared for battle.

Arduro saw this in the magic mirror and cackled.

"So oy's a fight eh?

I'll make sure you don't get Christmas!" he cackled/

Leah smiled as the others joined her.

"You ready to do this?

We're going to kick Arduro's butt!" she told them.

Fiona then saw Carley with Shrek by the fire.

She then joined her.

Leah didn't want Carley to join in the fight because she was afraid of losing her.

"Nice armour Fi.

It suits you." Carley said.

"I need you to do something for me.

I know you're not in the battle but I need you to protect Shrek until we come back.

I can tell you are both connected in each other's hearts.

Promise me." She said softly to her.

"I do." Carley replied watching her leave.

The other reason was because she was still wounded from escaping.

Shrek watched as she fell asleep beside him.

But then he heard soothing music as somebody appeared.

It was an ogre female with long wavy hair that covered her trumpet shaped ears. Wore a black ftrdd and was slender with black angel like wings.

"_Hello my son._

_I see you're still handsome as ever." _She said to him smiling.

"Mom is that really you?

But why're you here?" he asked her.

"_Because you still hurt from something that wasn't your fault._

_If I hadn't protected you from those jerks, you would've died and that would've hurt more than a pitch fork ever could._

_You have youched so many people like your friend beside you._

_One day we will meet again in heaven._

_I have always been with you and watched over you._

_Now you must do the same._

_Follow me." _She told him touching his head as he fell asleep once more….

Arduro cackled as he saw his Nut cracker guards bring Leah and the others to him.

"At last I'll have won for once and not you or your loser friends." He told them.

"You're insane Arduro!

If you ruin the spirit of the season, Christmas will be destroyed!" Sowgre yelled angrily.

"I don't care!

All I want is to see you destroyed as revenge for all the times you made me look like a fool in high school." He replied as Snowgre was put in a cage apart from his friends.

Amore was scared.

"This guy is worse than my father!

We've got to get out of here!

Snowg doesn't deserve this!" ahe told them.

_Melody smiled sadly as they appeared at the swamp the night when their family became a broken one._

_Shrek saw the hatred in the hunter's eyes as they left._

_He saw his father stare coldly at him and his seven year old self._

_"You should just leave._

_You're a mistake and not meant to be my son._

_Becaue of you, your mother's gone and she's never coming back." Ambris told them._

_Melody watched as he left._

_She then saw him approach Ambris._

_"Honey what're you doing?" she asked her son._

_"Going to let Dad have a piece of my mind!" Shrek replied to her._

_Ambris was in the cave drinking and swearing._

_He nearly dropped the beer ottle seeing him._

_"W-Who're you and why do you look like my son?" he asked afraid._

_A smile ceossed Shrek's face at that._

_"It's me Shrek, Dad." he told him._

_"Crap!_

_I thought you'd end up dead." he yelled throwing an empty bottle at his head but Shrek ducked it._

_"Dad I know we haven't had a good father son relationship but I wanna try._

_You'd do it if Mom was alive." he said to him._

_"She's dead to me like you are._

_At least Amore's not like you." Ambris said scratching his som's face._

_Shrek growled in agony but put part of his vest to his face to stop the blood._

_Melody then saw tears fall from her son's face as she appeared._

_"Ambris... it's me Melody." she said in beauitful voice._

_Ambris gasped seeing her._

_"Melody?_

_You're an angel but how?_

_Our kind never get into Heaven." he asked her._

_"Only good hearted ogres can enter Heaven like our son will unlike you._

_He's been living in agony because you blame him for my death which was an accident._

_You know those things always happen to our kind because some humans don't understand._

_But some do._

_You'll never find love Ambris because you're an Avenger and seek to hurt good hearted humans who look past the fact that you're an ogre and want to help you but you never do._

_Shrek will never be like that because his heart is full of love and cares about those he loves and his friends." SHE SAID AS SHE AND sHREK LEFT._

_Ambris then sank to his knees crying._

_They then appeared in Heaven._

_"Why're we here?_

_Am I dying?" Shrek asked her._

_"No you're not dying._

_You won't be here for a long time yet._

_I became a guardian angel and watch over you all the time even though you're an adult but now it is your turn._

_You must choose somebody you truly care about and watch over them as I do you._

_I know you'll make me proud." she told him handing him a box with wings on the lid and opened it._

_Inside was a locket with angel wings on it._

_It looked like the one he wore all the time that Melosy had given to him as a child and wore under his clothes._

_"Don't worry Mom._

_I won't let ya down." he replied as he faded..._


	12. O Won't Let You Go

If the Snow Doesn't Fall

Ch 11

Arduro cackled as he saw Snowgre shaking in the cage.

"Scared?

Good.

Soon you'll know how I felt when you and your pathetic band made me feel like a loser!" he sneered.

"_This isn't good!_

_Dad needs help._

_I wonder where Uncle Shrek is." _Arctus thought as Leah broke them out of the cage by fire bending.

"Alright Leah!

You got us out of there!" Snowflaje heard Meatballs say.

"Aww no big Meaty." She replied as Arduro growled in anger.

"You'll pay for that!" he said.

"Bring it on!" Fiona replied as they prepared to do battle.

Carley smiled as her eyes opened.

She felt safe in her ogre friend's arms.

"You okay?

You were pretty zoned out." She said to him.

"I'll be okay.

I…. Was with somebody I haven't seen in a long time." Shrek replied smiling.

But then she clutched her head in agony as she heard Leah talking to Arduro.

"Carley!" he yelled seeing her fall to the ground.

He was nervous seeing that.

He then saw her eyes open.

"Shrek.. I have to go.

Leah needs me.

She and the others are fighting Arduro." She replied softly trying to get up.

"Y-You can't go!

You're still hurt and Leah would be upset if you got hurt by trying to help." He told her stroking her hair.

"I… have no choice.

You and Leah are my whole world besides Aria.

I have to protect those precious to me." She mumbled.

He understood as she got to her feet slowly.

Her eyes then glowed with blue light as Ogre Child appeared.

"You beed my help, don't you?" she asked, the wind whipping her long black hair.

"Yes we're going to help Leah and the others fight Charming's son Arduro." Carley answered.

"Let us go then." Ogre Child replied as they left.

But then she saw Shrek following them.

"Wait!

I'm coming with you!" he told them.

"B-But you're still injured!" Carley told him.

"I know but it would hurt me if I let you go and you got hurt or worse because of this." He answered.

He had the box with the angel wings locket under his shirt.

"Thanks.

Together I know we can beat Charming's son." Carley replied as they set off.

"_That's not what I'm worried about._

_I know we can do this._

_But I have this feeling that something bad will happen to those I care about or you._

_Idf that happened, I wouldn't forgive myself." _He thought as they approached the work shop.

Arduro then cackled as he cornered Leah.

Fiona along with the others had taken care of Arduro's army using jutsu.

Leah was nearly depleted of chakra.

"I can see we're running out of chakra.

Time to finish you off!

Where's that half blind freak of yours?

She's probably hiding." Arduro said as she passed out.

He was about to do it….

"Leah no!" a voice yelled as Carley showed up along wth Shrek and Ogre Child.

"It's okay.

She just used up her chakra." Fiona told her but suddenly her eyes glowed with dark light.

Snowflake watched as dark chi surrounded the slender human's body.

"What's happening to her Mom?

I've never seen her like this." Spam asked.

"I know what's happening to her.

She's attacking using all tha anger and pain she's bottled up through the years.

We have to make sure nobody gets hurt or that she hurts herself." Shrek answered scared.

"I… won't let you take anyone I care about ever again!" they heard Carley yell as dark magic hit Arduro.

"_I wonder what's going on in there?" _Arctus thought nut the tornado subsided but the dark magic still created a barrier around her.

"No… I won't let you take him away from me again!" they heard her say angrily as the magic became a tornado again.

Fiona then watched as Leah got to her feet slowly and began making her way towards Carley.

"Leah are you crazy?

You're hurt badly!

We'll find a way to help her." David said worriedly.

"Sorry David but I'm the only one who can calm her down.

Get the others to safety!" she replied.

Shrek watched in worry as Leah put a hand on the dark barrier.

"_please let me in._

_I want to help." _She thought as a crack was made through it and entered.

Carley's eyes widened as Leah wrapped her arms around her.

"It's me Leah.

I know you're upset but I… I want to help you stop hurting.

It's because I love you." She said as their lips touched.

Suddenly the force field was full of light.

"_I hope Leah's okay in there." _Snowgre thought.

Leah watched as the dark magic faded from her girl friend as she broke down in her arms.

"It'll be okay.

You were so awesome kicking Aduro's butt!" she told her as her friend's eyes closed.

"She'll need to heal.

She's been hurt emotionally and physically by saving you.

Her heart is full of love for us especially me and you." Shrek told her as a portal opened.

Ogre Claus watched as they left after they'd helped repair what Arduro had done to the work shop.

He was way behind schedule and two days until Christmas Eve….

In the swamp Leah and the others were nervous as Carley lay on the couch out cold and badly wounded.

"What happened with her when that tornado happened?" Arctus asked them.

"N-Nothing happened Arctus.

Trust me." Leah answered him.

Fiona saw her blush as she went into the kitchen.

She knew Leah had lied to Arxtus about what had happened.

Shrek then saw somebody appear.

It was Melody.

He then got an idea as he took the box out from under his shirt but was in a meditative pose.

"What's he doing?" Snowgre asked Fiona.

"He's trying to reach our friend through meditation." Snowflake answered her husband.

They then saw Shrek open his eyes.

"What's wrong?

Can't you reach her?" Artie asked him.

"It's hard, okay?

I'm not the Avatar.

I can't reach the spirit world alone.

Please I don't wanna lose her." he answered as his eyes glowed and black and red angel wings appeared from his back.

"Honey what's going on?

Since when do you have wings?" Fiona asjed him.

"I have, okay?

Like my Mom is a Guardian angel watching over me." he told her softly as tears hit his friend's chest.

"I have an idea on how to help you get into her mind so you can wake her up.

She has musical talent and a deep love for music.

If we play something she loves or sing something, it'll help." Leah explained.

"Great idea but we don't know what she likes in music." Artie told her.

Leah smiled as she watched Shrek put a hand on Carley's chest.

Leah smiled as she put head phones on her girl friend's ears and turned her MP3 player on.

They then heard "I Know It's Today" blasting from the head phones.

Fiona blushed hearing it.

"Please let this work!" Leah thought as she saw his soul enter her girl friend.

S_Shrek amiled as he found himself in a strange city with a huge purple bricked castle._

_"Wait a second!_

_I'm in her kingdom Aria in Latanis the main city._

_She's gotta be here!" he thought as he heard soft music._

_He found Carley sitting in the Alcae Forest on the branch of a Dream Tree._

_He felt somebody else with her._

_"Hello son._

_I've been hanging out with your friend here._

_She seems to still hurt but maybe you can help." his mother Melody told him._

_Shrek smiled as Carley hugged him._

_"T-Thanks for coming amigo._

_You likr my kingdom?_

_It was the two of us that created it." she said softly._

_"I do._

_I know you were fighting using all the pain and sadness you bottled up through the years._

_I know we were destined to be friends from the day we met._

_Nothing will tear us apart like that again." he whispered._

_"You promise?" she asked._

_"Yes._

_Let's go home before Leah and the others get freaked." he told her as they left her mind._

_Melody smiled as she vanished._

_"I guess your heart's power is stronger than others thought._

_But things will be rougher now that you're a guardian angel." she thought..._


	13. Trying to Help

If the Snow Doesn't Fall

Ch 12

Fiona smiled with tears in her eyes as she saw Shrek re appear smiling weakly.

"Is Carley okay/

Dud you find her soul and bring it back?" Leah asked nervous.

He nodded.

It was the say before Christmas Eve and it was six in the morning.

The triplets were still asleep along with Arxtus, David and Snowflake but Leah, Fiona, Artie and Shrek were still up.

"Maybe coffee will help.

I'll go make some." Artie said.

He felt sorry for both Leah and Shrek.

He knew how much thy cared about Carley and knew how much she cared about them.

Leah was about to go to her room when she heard something.

"… Leah are you there?" she heard and went to the couch.

Carley's eyes opened slowly as tears of great joy were in her friend's eyes.

"Y-You're okay!" she said hugging her gently as they kissed.

Fiona smiled as she and Shrek shared a kiss.

"I thought you were gone.

When that happened, I got scared." She told Carley softly.

"I… missed you too." Carley replied smiling.

"_Son we need to talk about… things." _Shrek heard Melody say in his head.

"Honey you okay?" Fiona asked him softly.

"Y-Yeah I'm fine.

I'm just going to hit the hay.

I'll see you later." He told her going into the guest room in Leah's house.

He was worried but also tired as his brown eyes closed and he drifted off into sleep.

He found himself in a forest where their cave home used to be.

_His mother Melody then appeared in a flash of light._

"_Hey Mom._

_What did you want to talk about?_

_Is it about the angel thing?" he asked._

"_Yes it is._

_You must choose who you'll guard before Christmas Eve._

_But only that person will know you're an angel._

_Go now before it's too late." She explained._

"_W-What if I can't do this angel thing?_

_I wasn't very good when I had to fill in as king for my Dad in law." Shrek said._

_Melody smiled as her raven like hair hung around her face._

"_You'll do fine._

_You have the heart for the job._

_I have a feeling I know who you're going to choose." She told him ;eaving…._

_His head was spinning with doubt at that…._

Fiona sighed happily watching Leah and Carley asleep with their arms wrapped around each other.

"I wish Snow was here.

Seeing them like that reminds me of our secret relationship." She thought.

Hours later Shrek and the others woke up but Snowgre noticed he looked nervous.

"What's wrong?" he asked him softly.

"I'm... trying to make a decision but it's a little hard.

I.. sort of became an angel like Melody, my mother and now I have to choose somebody before Christmas Eve." he answered.

Snowgre was a little shocked by his cousin's answer but needed to think about it.

"Guys the waffles are ready!" Leah yelled as they went into the kitchen.

"Is Carley okay this morning?

I was worried for her." Shrek said softly.

"She's still asleep.

I know about what your Mom told you.

Fiona heard you talking in your sleep and told me after I woke up.

She needs you.

You guys go together like jam and peanut butter." she answered.

But deep inside Snowgre had his own choice to make.

He could stay with Snowflake and Arctus but his heart was in the rock music he played.

But now wasn't the time...

"Dad you okay?

You seemed distracted." Arctus told him eating a waffle with butter over it.

"I-I'm okay son.

Just thinking." he answered as Snowflake saw worry in his eyes.

"He wouldn't, would he?" she thought as they watched Snowgre leave the room.

Shrek watched as the triplets along with Arctus were playing in the snow, having fun.

He knew his mind had been made up.

He went over to the couch where his human friend was lying, still asleep, her body covered in bandages.

He took the chest from under his shirt.

He opened it and took the locket out from it.

There was a photo inside it of him, Leah and the others.

Leah smiled watching him put it around Carley's neck.

The angel wings on the locket glowed with blue light as black and red wings spurted from his back.

"I have done it Mom.

I have chosen somebody who knows what it's like to be alone, to hurt like I do.

I won't let ya down." he whispered.

Leah then saw her girl friend's eyes open.

"... LLeah why're you crying?

Is something wrong?" she asked softly.

"No nothing's wrong.

I'm just happy you're back.

For a while... I was afraid that I'd lost you but now you're alive." she said as she wrapped her arms around her...

But Snowgre was hiding the secret that he was royalty in the kingdom of Snowia.

He'd hidden that his parents ruked the arctic kingdom.

Only Shrek knew this secret.

"I'm sorry Arctus, Snowflake but I have to go back to where I belong, my kingdom where I won't bother you or hurt your hearts again.

It is time for me to become who I really am, Prince Snowgreia." he thought as he left a note on the pillow for Snowflake but walked into Arctus's room.

He saw his son asleep.

He wrapped his black guitar bandanna around his head.

"Goodbye my son.

I still love you." he whispered into his ear.

Fiona was nervous watching him leave wearing royal robes.

But somebody entered the Robert's house in fear and shelter.

She had long black hair that hung around her small face, wore a leather jacket, combat boots.

She was sixteen like Artie.

She'd been hiding from her mother Rapunzel and her father Charming because she didn't want to be like them.

She had a good heart like Fiona but it made her parents upset and ashamed of her.

She was a kind hearted punk chick who was very loving and creative.

Leah found her lying in the snow in the garden shivering.

"Hey you okay?

You look frozen!

Come into the house.

Did you come from Far, Far Away?" she asked softly.

She nodded.

She followed Leah into the house.

But Fiona was trying to cheer Snowflake up.

Arctus was scared.

He'd never seen his Mom cry like this in front of him.

"That lying, furry traitor of a cousin!

I hope a hunter catches him." Shrek cursed.

Fiona shot him a look and he went quiet.

"No Shrek's right.

I have made a decision, a hard one but it has to be done." Snowflake replied sadly.

David felt sorry for her.

He and Leah had a feeling what Snowflake had decided.

Meatballs watched as Arctus went into his room and slammed the door.

"We'll be outside, okay?" Spam told his parents as he and his siblings went outside.

Fiona noticed the human teen sitting by the fire shivering with blankets around her thin body.

"Who is she?" Fiona asked Leah.

"I don't know.

I found her lying in the snow last night." she answered her.

"Hi my name is Mali.

I ran away from my control freak parents in Far, Far Away.

They wanted me to be a leotard wearing loser but I'm not like them." she answered them sadly.

Carley could relate to the girl.

Fiona then went into the kitchen with Snowflake.

"What I'm about to say is hard but I know it's what is best for me and Arctus.

I want a divorce from Snowgre or Snowgreia or whatever his name is." she told her.

Arctus felt like somebody had ripped out his heart.

Tears fell from his eyes.

Fiona watched as he left the house.

Leah then went after him...


	14. Betrayal

If the Snow Doesn't Fall

Ch 13

A/N The song that Arctus is singing in this chapter is part of the song "All I wanted" by Michelle Branch. I was listening to it and realised it suits how he feels at the moment.

She found him outside in the snow fort he and the triplets had built the other day.

He was crying as he looked at the picture in his locket.

"Why do this Dad?

Why hurt Mom and me?

We didn't do anything to make you mad." He said through tears.

"_Poor Arctus._

_I can't believe Snowgre would just leave like that._

_But some pfathers can be jerks._

_It's not his fault this happened." _She thought as she entered the fort.

He closed the locket suddenly at that.

"Arctus I know it hurts but my brother and I have been through divorce.

It hurts but soon it'll be better.

Trust me." She reassured him.

"Yeah niy I feel betrayed.

I thought… he loved me but I guess I was wrong." He told her.

She then hugged him before leaving.

"T-Thanks for that Leah." He told her.

Mali then entered the fort.

"Umm…. Hey.

I know how jerky fathers can be." She said as he started strumming his guitar.

I wanted to be like him

_I wanted everything._

_So I tried to be like you_

_And got swept away…._

He wiped a tear away.

If you want to, I could save you

_I could take you away from here._

_So lonely inside,_

_So busy out there_

_And all_

_I wanted was somebody who cared._

_Somebody who cared._

He finished singing.

Mali was amazed by that.

"Wow Arctus that…. Was beautiful!" she told him.

"Thanks.

I thought my Dad wanted to be together with me and Mom.

That's why he put the band on hiatus.

But I was wrong.

I also never knew my father was some prince in another kingdom.

It hurts so bad that I can't forgive him and neither will my Mom." He explained as she wrapped her arms around him.

She felt good along with Arctus.

It was later when Shrek found Arctus asleep in the fort.

Mali had gone inside.

"_I feel so sorry for ya._

_I tried to protect you, to make sure he'd never pull this kind of thing but I was wrong._

_Now you feel like you have no family but you do with the rest of us." _He thought wrapping a blanket around him.

Leah saw Mali go quiet as Shrek came back inside.

"_If they knew who my mother is, they'd throw me out and think I'm like her but I'm not." _She thought as her eyes closed….

Snowgre felt a little sad as he was in his parent's castle.

He sort of missed Snowflake and Arctus.

He phoned them.

"Oh it's you.

Why bother calling for Snowflke and Arctus?

Right now they're hurting because of you!

You never care!

I'm disowning you from the family!" Shrek replied on the other end.

Fiona and David watched as he hung up.

There were tears in his hazel eyes.

"I haven't seen him like this in a while." Fiona said to him.

"Yeah but Snowg deserves it.

He did turn his back on those who love him and cared about him." David replied as he went to help Leah with something.

Shrek was in the kitchen drinking egg nog mixed with rum.

He was sad and depressed.

He knew Snowgre would pull a stunt like this but had denied it.

Fiona then heard the door oprm as a pale skinned woman with long ebony hair entered.

"Fi-Fi!" she sang as she hugged Fiona.

"Oh my... I'm so glad you're here!

But how?" she told her.

"I was feeling miserable because I missed you and because it was that time of the month.

So I knew you would mae me better." she replied as they kissed.


	15. Wishes

If the Snow Doesn't Fall

Ch 14

It was Christmas Eve morning as Arctus woke up.

He was still feeling sad because of the news he'd overheard last night.

Shrek was reading cook books preparing for Christmas dinner.

He watched as Arctus came into the house with the blanket around him.

"Good morning Arctus.

Did you sleep okay?" he said to the teen as he sat down at the table.

"Yeah I guess so." He told him.

Leah knew why Shrek was up earlier this morning.

She couldn't help laughing a little at it.

It was that time of the month again for Fiona and ogre PMS was something you don't want to see. Or get involved in.

David saw Snow cracxking up at Shrek's right eye which was swollen and purple.

_6 am…_

_He'd been asleep, deep asleep when he heard a voice in his ear._

"_Honey do I look fat to you?" she asked him._

_He looked at her, her stomach a little bloated because it was near her time of the month._

"_A little but…." He answered._

_Big mistake…_

"_A LITTLE. A LITTLE?" she yelled angrily._

"_Honey what's the big deal?" Shrek asked her._

_Suddenly he felt a fist hit him at the speed of a flying bullet._

"_Oww! What was that for?_

_You sure woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning." He replied walking out of the room…._

Arctus heard them burst into immense fits of laughter after Snow told them.

"_I hope he's not mad at me._

_I didn't mean to get that mad at him._

_What's wrong with me?" _Fiona thought as she walked into the kitchen.

"Hide!" Shrek said ducking under the table as Fiona came in.

"honey I can see you're under there.

I know this morning something happenedbut I don't know why I was like that.

Forgive me?" she said.

I forgive ya.

Honey you're bleeding!" he replied.

She then saw Snow stare at her.

"Oh great Grimm's it's here!" she sang.

"Snow what's here?" Fiona asked confused.

Snow then whispered into her ear.

A few seconds later they saw her faint on the floor.

"Fiona is she okay?" Shrek asked her.

"She'll be fine.

It's just shock from getting her first one." Snow answered.

Leah then helped her bring Fiona into the bath room…

Mali found Arctus on the couch drinking Coke and eating fruit cake.

He seemed sad.

Nothing seemed to cheer him up.

"Hey you still feel down, don't you?

I know how it feels when your parents let you down or abandon you." She said.

"How do you know?" he replied.

"My father was the one who tried to slay your uncle.

After he was crushed by the yower, my Mom Rapunzel started having an affair.

But I swear I'm not like them at all.

I'm just a normal punk kid trying to get through life.

If I was like them, how come I haven't tried to hurt you or the others yet?" she explained to him.

Arctus's mouth opened at that.

"I guess you do know how it feels to be betrayed by your father." He replied smiling.

Leah had overheard that but decided to trust her seeing that she had a good heart and deserved the benefit of a doubt.

Later that night Arctus was sitting on the roof.

The stars were out in the night sky.

But he noticed a strange looking one.

It was rainbow coloured and glowing.

"_Go ahead, wish on me." _A voice said to him.

He then remembered stories his parents told him of a wishing star like the one in front of him.

"Okay then…. I wish for somebody to love me, somebody who won't betray me through this love like my father did through his.

Somebody who understands." He whispered.

Suddenly the star pulsated strangely.

It began to fall slowly out of the sky but changing…. Into a female teenager his age.

He was enchanted as she landed on the roof.

"W-Who're you?

What're you?" Arctus asked a little afraid.

This girl had faerie wings which were black and silver, blue eyes that reflected her gentle soul.

Ebony hair hung around her face.

She was dressed in a long rainbow coloured dress like the star she'd once been.

"_Don't be afraid Arctus._

_I am your wish._

_My name is Chiori._

_I am alone like you._

_My memory has gone and I can't remember who I am but all I remember is I…. Was waiting in the black night for somebody to release me from being lonely._

_I think it's you." _She told him.

He felt her hand touch his and it made him... feel better.

Suddenly he was in his room.

"Where did she go?

I must've dreamt her and the star because I'm so sad at the minute.

It was a nice dream though." he thought.

It was four in the morning.

He felt this light feeling in his stomach and went to the mirror.

There was a rainbow star mark on his fore head.

"Just like the one in my dream!

But where did that girl go?

She looks familiar." he thought as Mali came in but saw those eyes, the gentle eyes.

"Could it?

I have to find out." he thought following her...


	16. Goodbye

If the Snow Doesn't Fall

Ch 15

Arctus was still feeling miserable but had made up his mind.

He was running away to make a life for himself.

He had packed lots of food in his back pack, dressed in his jacket and had walked out through the front door.

He'd left a note.

"_I hope my Mom understands._

_One day I'll return._

_I promise." _The teen thought as he opened a portal.

Fiona was woken up by the excited sound of her kids but also Snowflake.

"Mom can we open presents yet?" Meatballs asked

"No. I wonder what's wrong with Snowflake." She answered going into her friend's room.

"It's Arctus.

He ran away." She said, tears down her face.

"Why would he run away?" Mali asked them.

"We don't know.

I think he ran away because of what happened with you and Snowg." Shrek told them.

"Where would he go?" Davod asked them.

Artie had an idea.

"He's probably in my neck of the woods." he told them.

"It's worth a shot!

Let's go!" Puss told them.

"Puss I need ya to stay and look after the triplets for me, okay?" Shrek said.

"But Dad we wanna come too!" Spam protested.

But a look from their father stopped further protests.

"Let's go!" Leah told them as she and the others went through the portal.

Arctus sighed deeply as he arrived in Far, Far Away.

"At least I can find somewhere I belong." he thought as he walked into the Poison Apple Pub.

There was a sign looking for help.

Mabel and Doris looked confused as the ogre teen approached the bar.

"I'm here about the sign wanting help." Arctus told them.

"Fine we're in the middle of a slow day.

You're hired kid.

What's your name? " Mabel asked him.

"It's Arctus." he answered drinking a Fuzzy Navel.

He needed it after the rough holiday he was going through.

Doris saw the sadness in his eyes.

"Hey kid what's wrong?

You look like you had a rough day." Doris told him as they sat at a vacant table.

"It's just my father divorced from my Mom.

I feel like it's my fault." he answered bitterly.

She felt sorry for him as he cleaned tables.

Artie was nervous as the search was fruitless.

"Arctus!

Where're you?" he yelled as he went into Farbuck's.

He didn't see him.

Shrek walked into the Poison Apple Pub.

He saw Doris pour him a beer as he approached the bar.

He then saw Arctus and went over to him.

Arctus hen sighed as he realised his cover was blown because he was a little drunk.

"Arctus what on Duloc made you come here?

You freaked everybody out!" he said.

"Yeah, Yeah I know.

But it's my fault Dad left." he said slurred.

He knew it had been hard for Arctus this month.

He then saw Arctus breaking down.

"Hey it'll be okay.

Let's just find the others and go home, okay?" he reassured him hugging him.

"It won't!

I know my Mom will be lonely and sad because Dad left and tries to make me feel better but it makes me worse.

I don't wanna hurt her.

Just do me a favour and leave me here." Arctus told him.

Shrek watched as the teen fainted...

When he woke up, he found himself in the room he lived in at the Poison Apple Pub.

"W-Why're you so concerned about me?

I'll be fine." he told his uncle.

"I know but I... promised your father I would look after ya.

It's not your fault Snowg left.

I had a feeling it would happen ever since they left for their world tour years ago.

These things happen.

But it's the choices we make that make us who we are." Shrek reassured him.

"Yeah but I figured that it was time for me to leave, to kick myself out.

It is ogre tradition after all.

Besides Mom doesn't need me.

She has you and the others to look after her." Arctus told him.

"She does still need you.

I know you're hurting but she is too.

I know what you're going through.

My parents split up a few years ago.

It hurt but Amore and I realised it wasn't our fault it happened." Shrek told him.

"I've made up my mind Uncle.

I'm staying here.

I know Mom would be crushed but it's what's best for everybody especially Mom if she forgot about me." he answered.

Shrek saw there was no changing his mind.

"Fine I accept your decision to live alone but I'll still be checking up on you, making sure you're okay, that you're happy and not getting into bad things like drugs.

That would be bad." he replied.

"Thanks Uncle.

You're awesome!" Arctus replied hugging him.

Shrek sighed as he left the pub.

"Did you find him?" Fiona asked him.

"I'll tell you everything when we get back." HE ANSWERED HER.

As they left, he saw Arctus hiding behind a trash can.

"Goodbye.

The secret is safe with me." sHREK MOUTHED AS THEY LEFT.

Later Snowflake heard what Shrek had told Fiona.

She was sad but happy for Arctus.

He wanted to have his own life and family.

"Please don't forget me my son.

I will always love you." she thought as they hugged...

The End


End file.
